Power equipment can cause severe injury to an operator whose hands or body come in contact with the equipment during its operations. Safety devices or systems have been used to protect the operator by disabling the power equipment if it is used in a potentially unsafe manner. While these devices are effective at protecting the operator, the safety devices oftentimes put restrictions on the use of equipment in instances where the operator's safety is not compromised, thereby decreasing productivity.
One set of safety devices creates a barrier between the operator and the processing portion of the power equipment. Machines of this type are guarded with fixed barriers or mechanical hold back or pull back devices. These systems prohibit the user from holding the part or stock to be processed.
Another set of safety devices work as intrusion detectors. Machines of this type use sensors to detect when an object, presumably a body part, enters a zone designated as unsafe. The machine is disabled when such an object is detected. However, parts or stock can also be detected, causing the machine to be blocked out even when there is no danger to the operator.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a safety system for power equipment that improves productivity by allowing the operator to hold and manipulate the stock while remaining safe from injury.